DOCSLIB.ORG

Stability and Change in Minerotrophic Peatlands, Sierra Nevada Of

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Stability and Change in Minerotrophic Peatlands, Sierra Nevada Of United States Department of Stability and Change in Minerotrophic Agriculture Peatlands, Sierra Nevada of California Forest Service Pacific Southwest and Nevada Forest and Ranae Experiment station James W. Bartolome Don C. Erman Charles F. Schwarz Research Paper PSW-198 Bartolome, James W.; Erman, Don C.; Schwara, Charles F. 1990. Stability and change In minerotrophicpeatlands, Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada. Res. Paper PSW- 198. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 11 p. Minerotrophic peatlands or fens in California's Sierra Nevada are small wet meadows surrounded by mixed conifer forest. The dynamics of vegetation change at the meadow edge and the ages and development of fens were investigated, in the Sagehen Creek Basin near Truckee, California, through the use of radiocarbon dating of peat, pollen studies, examina- tion of processes of peat development and accumulation, stand age analysis of trees around peatlands, and evaluation of tree-ring variation. These approaches were used to evaluate both short- and long-term changes. Fens varied in age from more than 8000 years toless than 1000 years old. Results suggest that overall fen development proceeds rapidly, with peat buildup dependent upon adequate moisture supply. During fen development trees repeat- edly invade and retreat from the fen edges. The timing of invasions appears unrelated to events such as human disturbance and climatic change. Instead, changes are most likely to result from alterations in groundwater supply in interaction with tree establishment, longevity, and water uptake. Little evidence was found that accepted successional models which emphasize predictable and gradual vegetational development apply to fens in the Sagehen Basin. Retrieval Terms: wet meadow, fen, plant succession, pine invasion, Pinus conform, lodgepole pine, edge stability, fen persistence, radiocarbon age The Authors: JAMES W. BARTOLOME and DON C. ERMAN are professors of range ecology and management and fisheries ecology, respectively, in the Department of Forestry and Resource Management at the University of California, ~erkeley.At the time of this study, CHARLES F. SCHWARZ was a research forester in the Station's Landscape and Urban Forestry Research Unit in Berkeley. He is currently an environmental planner for the Port of Oakland. Acknowledgments We thank Bret Olsen and Cathy Bleier for collecting stand age data and preparing tree cores, Paul Sugnet for his ring-counts and cross-dating, Ronald Kelly for statistical treatment of data, and Joe McBride fortechnical advice. Barbara Brower, Donald Sullivan, and Roger Byme assisted with pollen analysis. Nancy Erman and Mitchel McClaran provided helpful criticism during and after the study. Harold F. Heady, Ann Dennis, Raymond D. Ratliff, Michael Yoder-Williams, and Bruce Johnson reviewed earlier drafts of the manuscript. This study was funded by Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under a Cooperative Agreement with the University of California, Berkeley. Publisher: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station P.O. Box 245, Berkeley, California 94701 February 1990 Stability and Change in Minerotrophic Peatlands. Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada James W.Bartolome Don C.Erman Charles F.Schwarz CONTENTS .. In Brief .................................................................................................11 Introduction .......................................................................................... Previous Work ..................................................................................... Study Area ...........................................................................................2 Methods ................................................................................................2 Peat Sampling and Analysis ...........................................................2 Pollen .............................................................................................3 Moss Growth and Peat Accumulation ...........................................3 Stand Age Analysis ....................................................................3.... Results ..................................................................................................3 Fen Ages .......................................................................................3 Pollen Analyses .............................................................................4 Moss Growth and Peat Accumulation ..........................................5 Stand Ages and Invasion ...............................................................7 Tree Growth and Moisture Cycles ................................................7 Discussion .............................................................................................8 Fen Age and Stability ....................................................................8 Pollen ............................................................................................8 Moss Growth and Peat Accumulation ...........................................8 Stand Establishment and Survival .................................................9 Fen Origins ....................................................................................9 Fen Succession Model ................................................................. 10 Conclusions ........................................................................................10 References ..........................................................................................10 IN BRIEF.. Bartolome, James W.; Erman, Don C.; Schwarz, Charles F. depths can have different ages. In some samples modem peat 1990. Stability and change in minerotrophic peatlands, Si- came from as deep as 31 inches (80 cm). These results are erra Nevada of California and Nevada. Res. Paper PSW- supportable by the rapid rates of peat accumulation that have 198. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Ex- been observed. In addition, reworking of peat by fen dwell- periment Station,ForestService, U.S. Department of Agricul- ing organisms and fluctuations of water levels in peat may ture; 11 p. transport peat vertically. Past logging activities could have inverted peat layers. The accumulation of layers has been far Retrieval Terms: wet meadow, fen, plant succession, pine from a simple aggradation at the surface each year. invasion, Pinus contorta, lodgepole pine, edge stability, fen In the dry portions of Mason Fen, daily water levels dropped persistence, radiocarbon age much lower than in wet areas and remained below the surface even at night. Isolation from horizontal flow and lower water Minerotrophic peatlands or fens are small wet meadows levels resulted in a deeper aerobic limit and a more acidic pH in surrounded by mixed conifer forests. Sierran meadows are the dry areas-changes favoring tree survival. Seedlings ap- important habitats and recreational resources. Plant succession pearing in the dry areas of the fen in 1981 survived, and new has a strong impact on the quality of meadows. Concern has seedlingscontinuedtoappeardespite wet conditions in 1982and been expressed particularly about changes caused by pine inva- 1983. sions. The sera1 sequences and factors governing plant cover The highly variable ages of trees in the bands of even-sized changes and timing are largely unknown for many Sierran stands paralleling fen borders show they became established meadows. Hence, decisions about management for preservation over many years rather than during a few drought years. Dead or restoration are severely hampered. Wet meadows, because of and dying stands and solitary individuals on and around fens their clear dependence on hydrologic regimes, may provide a indicate that these invaders do not persist. Invasions are most simpler system for analysis than other types. Their sensitivity to likely to result from alterations of groundwater supply interact- hydrologic changes makes them particularly sensitive to natural ing with tree establishment, longevity, and water uptake. Little or human perturbations. evidence was found that accepted successional models which The short- and long-term dynamics of vegetation change at emphasize predictable and gradual change from wet meadow to the meadow edge and the ages and development of fens were forest apply to Sagehen fens. investigated in the Sagehen Creek Basin near Tmckee, Califor- The Sagehen data support a succession model for a biologi- nia, using the following methods and/or procedures: cally stable peat-based ecosystem dependent on a reliable sup- Radiocarbon dating of peat deposits ply of water. Where the water supply is marginal for moss Examining changes over time of the relative abundance of growth and maintenance of peat, as near borders and elevated different types of pollen in peat deposits areas, the fen is subject to periodic invasion by lodgepole pines. Measuring moss growth rates and changes in peat-deposit Pine stands establishingon the peat form a canopy which shades surface elevation out the mosses, and transpiration by the pines increases water Examining hydrologic conditions controlling peat develop- loss from peat layers. The dried peat decomposes, eliminating ment and accumulation the peat layer under the stand in a few decades. The stands Monitoring seedling establishment and survival eventually die, many in their first century, and mosses reoccupy
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Annual Co and Ch Fluxes of Pristine Boreal Mires As a Background For
    BOREAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH 12: 101–113 ISSN 1239-6095 Helsinki 11 May 2007 © 2007 Annual CO2 and CH4 fluxes of pristine boreal mires as a background for the lifecycle analyses of peat energy Sanna Saarnio1)*, Micaela Morero1), Narasinha J. Shurpali2), Eeva-Stiina Tuittila3), Markku Mäkilä4) and Jukka Alm5) 1) Faculty of Biosciences, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland (*corresponding author’s e-mail [email protected]) 2) Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland 3) Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland 4) Geological Survey of Finland, P.O. Box 96, FI-02151 Espoo, Finland 5) Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, P.O. Box 68, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland Received 18 Nov. 2005, accepted 24 Jan. 2007 (Editor in charge of this article: Raija Laiho) Saarnio, S., Morero, M., Shurpali, N. J., Tuittila, E.-S., Mäkilä, M. & Alm, J. 2007: Annual CO2 and CH4 fluxes of pristine boreal mires as a background for the lifecycle analyses of peat energy. Boreal Env. Res. 12: 101–113. This study was conducted to improve the estimates of C gas fluxes in boreal ombrotrophic and minerotrophic mires used in the lifecycle analysis of peat energy. We reviewed lit- erature and collected field data from two new sites in southern Finland. In the literature, –2 –1 annual estimates of net CO2 exchange varied from –85 to +67 g C m a for ombrotrophic –2 –1 mires and from –101 to +98 g C m a for minerotrophic mires.
    [Show full text]
  • Vegetative Ecology of a Montane Mire, Crater Lake National
    AJ ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Susan Cornelia Seyer for the degree of Master of Science in Botany and Plant Pathology presented on December 14, 1979 Title: VEGETATIVE ECOLOGY OF A MONTANE MIRE, CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK, OREGON Redacted for Privacy Abstract approved: Jerry F. Franklin Mires, or peat-producing ecosystems, dominated by sedges, shrubs, and brown mosses, are common features in Cascade subalpine regions, occurring where moisture accumulates in small basins or on poorly-drained slopes. Although descriptions and classifications have been developed for mire vegetation in much of the world, there is little information of even a descriptive nature for these montane mires in Oregon and Washington. This thesis reports on phytosocia- logical structure, env'ironental relations, and successional trends in one such mire in the Oregon Cascade mountains. To characterize the general phytosociological structure of the mire vegetation at Sphagnum Bog, Crater Lake National Park, quantitative species cover data were used in conjunction with a Braun-Blanquet tabular analysis and two-dimensional stand ordinations, reciprocal averaging and a Bray-Curtis polar ordination. Defined community types correspond to physiognomic types as follows: Carex rostrata (reedswamp); Eleocharis pauciflora-Carex limosa, Eleocharis pauciflora/bryophytes (low sedge fens); Carex sichensis (tall sedge fen); Vaccinium/ Aulacomnium palustre, Vaccinium occidentala/Carex sitchensis (shrub thickets; Alnus incana/Brachythacium sp. and Salix barclayi (marginal carrs).Phases were defined when appropriate. A vegetation map was made to illustrate the locations and extent of the variouscommunities. Comparisons with other montane mires in thearea determined that the physiognomic units defined are repeatable when appropriate habitat conditions are present, and that they usually includemany of the same characteristic species, the dominant mosses being particularly constant.
    [Show full text]
  • Rich Conifer Swamp Communityrich Conifer Abstract Swamp, Page 1
    Rich Conifer Swamp CommunityRich Conifer Abstract Swamp, Page 1 Community Range Photo by Michael R. Penskar Prevalent or likely prevalent Infrequent or likely infrequent Absent or likely absent Overview: Rich conifer swamp is a groundwater- communities are minerotrophic wetlands but differ in influenced, or minerotrophic, forested wetland that is species composition because of the absence of northern dominated by northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) white cedar, which often forms a dense canopy. An- and occurs on organic soils (e.g., peat and muck). The other type of conifer-dominated wetland, poor conifer community is often referred to as cedar swamp. swamp, which occurs primarily in northern Michigan, can be distinguished from rich conifer swamp by its Global and State Rank: G4/S3 acidic organic soils, lack of groundwater influence (i.e., ombrotrophic), and prevalence of black spruce (Picea Range: Rich conifer swamp occurs throughout the up- mariana) and/or tamarack (Kost et al. 2007). Stands of per Midwest and northeast United States and adjacent mixed conifers and hardwoods that occur on saturated Canadian provinces (Faber-Langendoen 2001, Nature- mineral or muck soils are classified as hardwood- Serve 2001). The community varies in overall species conifer swamp and also occur primarily in northern composition across its range, which includes Michigan, Michigan (Kost et al. 2007). Boreal forest, which is Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, often dominated by northern white cedar, is sometimes New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and confused with rich conifer swamp. Unlike rich conifer northern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio (Faber-Langendoen swamp, most boreal forests in Michigan are upland 2001, NatureServe 2001).
    [Show full text]
  • Wind Turbines, Sensitive Bird Populations and Peat Soils
    Charity No. 229 325 Wind Turbines, Sensitive Bird Populations and Peat Soils: A Spatial Planning Guide for on-shore wind farm developments in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. July 2008 For more details, contact Tim Youngs [email protected] or Steve White [email protected] Produced by the RSPB and The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside (LWT), in partnership with Lancashire County Council, Natural England and the Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service (EAS) 1 Contents Section Map Annex Page Background 2 How to use the alert maps 4 Introduction 4 Key findings 5 Maps showing ‘important populations’ of ‘sensitive bird 1-5 6- 10 species’ and deep peat sensitive areas in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside Legal protection for birds and habitats 11 Methodology and definitions 12- 15 Caveats and notes 16 Distribution of Whooper Swan, Bewick’s Swan and Pink- 17- 22 footed Goose in inland areas of Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside Thresholds for ‘important’ populations’ (of sensitive species) 1 23 Definition of terms relating to ‘sensitive species’ of bird 2 24 Background The Inspectors who carried out the Examination in Public of the draft NW Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) between December 06 to February 07, proposed that 'Maps of broad areas where the development of particular types of renewable energy may be considered appropriate should be produced as a matter of urgency and incorporated into an early review of RSS'. This proposal underpins the North West Regional Assembly’s (NWRA) research that is being carried out by Arup consultants. The Secretary of State's response is 'In line with PPS22, we consider that an evidence-based map of broad locations for installation of renewable energy technologies would benefit planning authorities and developers.
    [Show full text]
  • Questioning Ten Common Assumptions About Peatlands
    Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands University of Leeds Peat Club: K.L. Bacon1, A.J. Baird1, A. Blundell1, M-A. Bourgault1,2, P.J. Chapman1, G. Dargie1, G.P. Dooling1,3, C. Gee1, J. Holden1, T. Kelly1, K.A. McKendrick-Smith1, P.J. Morris1, A. Noble1, S.M. Palmer1, A. Quillet1,3, G.T. Swindles1, E.J. Watson1 and D.M. Young1 1water@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UK 2current address: Centre GEOTOP, CP 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada 3current address: Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UK _______________________________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY Peatlands have been widely studied in terms of their ecohydrology, carbon dynamics, ecosystem services and palaeoenvironmental archives. However, several assumptions are frequently made about peatlands in the academic literature, practitioner reports and the popular media which are either ambiguous or in some cases incorrect. Here we discuss the following ten common assumptions about peatlands: 1. the northern peatland carbon store will shrink under a warming climate; 2. peatlands are fragile ecosystems; 3. wet peatlands have greater rates of net carbon accumulation; 4. different rules apply to tropical peatlands; 5. peat is a single soil type; 6. peatlands behave like sponges; 7. Sphagnum is the main ‘ecosystem engineer’ in peatlands; 8. a single core provides a representative palaeo-archive from a peatland; 9. water-table reconstructions from peatlands provide direct records of past climate change; and 10. restoration of peatlands results in the re-establishment of their carbon sink function. In each case we consider the evidence supporting the assumption and, where appropriate, identify its shortcomings or ways in which it may be misleading.
    [Show full text]
  • Changes in Peat Chemistry Associated with Permafrost Thaw Increase Greenhouse Gas Production
    Changes in peat chemistry associated with permafrost thaw increase greenhouse gas production Suzanne B. Hodgkinsa,1, Malak M. Tfailya, Carmody K. McCalleyb, Tyler A. Loganc, Patrick M. Crilld, Scott R. Saleskab, Virginia I. Riche, and Jeffrey P. Chantona,1 aDepartment of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306; bDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721; cAbisko Scientific Research Station, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, SE-981 07 Abisko, Sweden; dDepartment of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; and eDepartment of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 Edited by Nigel Roulet, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and accepted by the Editorial Board March 7, 2014 (received for review August 1, 2013) 13 Carbon release due to permafrost thaw represents a potentially during CH4 production (10–12, 16, 17), δ CCH4 also depends on 13 major positive climate change feedback. The magnitude of carbon δ CCO2,soweusethemorerobustparameterαC (10) to repre- loss and the proportion lost as methane (CH4) vs. carbon dioxide sent the isotopic separation between CH4 and CO2.Despitethe ’ (CO2) depend on factors including temperature, mobilization of two production pathways stoichiometric equivalence (17), they previously frozen carbon, hydrology, and changes in organic mat- are governed by different environmental controls (18). Dis- ter chemistry associated with environmental responses to thaw. tinguishing these controls and further mapping them is therefore While the first three of these effects are relatively well under- essential for predicting future changes in CH4 formation under stood, the effect of organic matter chemistry remains largely un- changing environmental conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment on Peatlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change: Main Report
    Assessment on Peatlands, Biodiversity and Climate change Main Report Published By Global Environment Centre, Kuala Lumpur & Wetlands International, Wageningen First Published in Electronic Format in December 2007 This version first published in May 2008 Copyright © 2008 Global Environment Centre & Wetlands International Reproduction of material from the publication for educational and non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior permission from Global Environment Centre or Wetlands International, provided acknowledgement is provided. Reference Parish, F., Sirin, A., Charman, D., Joosten, H., Minayeva , T., Silvius, M. and Stringer, L. (Eds.) 2008. Assessment on Peatlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change: Main Report . Global Environment Centre, Kuala Lumpur and Wetlands International, Wageningen. Reviewer of Executive Summary Dicky Clymo Available from Global Environment Centre 2nd Floor Wisma Hing, 78 Jalan SS2/72, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +603 7957 2007, Fax: +603 7957 7003. Web: www.gecnet.info ; www.peat-portal.net Email: [email protected] Wetlands International PO Box 471 AL, Wageningen 6700 The Netherlands Tel: +31 317 478861 Fax: +31 317 478850 Web: www.wetlands.org ; www.peatlands.ru ISBN 978-983-43751-0-2 Supported By United Nations Environment Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNEP/GEF) with assistance from the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) Design by Regina Cheah and Andrey Sirin Printed on Cyclus 100% Recycled Paper. Printing on recycled paper helps save our natural
    [Show full text]
  • Blanket Bogs
    SCOTTISH INVERTEBRATE HABITAT MANAGEMENT Blanket bogs Claish Moss © Scottish Natural Heritage Introduction that may also provide important sub-habitats. Britain has about 10-15% of the total global area Invertebrates in upland moorland or bog habitats of blanket bog, making it one of the most are an essential component of the diet of many important international locations for this habitat. bird species; cranefly larvae and adults have 80-85% of Britain’s blanket bog habitat is found in been shown to be important food for grouse Scotland, covering 1.8 million hectares, and chicks and breeding waders, such as Golden representing 23% of the country’s land area. This plover. Adult grouse may also eat craneflies to makes Scotland an internationally important supplement their diet of heather shoots. country for blanket bog. Managing habitats to benefit these invertebrates Blanket bog is found in cool, wet, typically is thus likely to have a significant impact on the oceanic climates, where it can cover whole survival of upland birds. landscapes, such as in the North-West of In addition, the Scottish Invertebrate Species Scotland. Peat accumulates slowly over many Knowledge Dossiers: Pseudoscorpiones years and can reach depths exceeding 5m, indicated the possibility that the Bog chelifer although 0.5-3m is more typical. Blanket bog is (Microbisium brevifemoratum ) is likely to occur in “ombrotrophic”, that is, the water and mineral Scottish bogs—highlighting that there may yet be supply comes entirely from atmospheric sources unrecorded species in this important Scottish (rainwater, mist, cloud-cover). The water habitat (Legg, 2010). chemistry is nutrient-poor and acidic and the Support for management described in this habitat is dominated by acid-loving plant document is available through Scotland Rural communities, especially Sphagnum mosses.
    [Show full text]
  • Peat from Penguins to Palm Trees
    Organic Soils in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. Peat from Penguins to Palm Trees Janet Moxley [email protected] (CEH), Chris Evans (CEH), Nicole Archer (BGS), Mary-Ann Smyth (Crichton Carbon Centre) Introduction The UK has 14 Overseas Territories (OTs) and 3 Crown Dependencies (CDs). The Falkland Islands contain large areas of organic soils, with smaller areas in the Isle of Man and the Caribbean OTs. Where sufficient data are available GHG emissions from the OTs and CDs which have ratified or are likely to ratify the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol are included in the UK GHG inventory. We review current understanding of organic soils in these areas. The Falkland Islands Estimates of peat area vary between 282 kha (BGS and CEH, unpublished data) and 548 kha (Wilson et al, 1993). The BGS/CEH estimate assumes that all valley-bottom deposits, and 33% of upland organo-mineral soils on shallow slopes, are peat, based on new field survey data. Falkland peatlands comprise a mixture of upland blanket bog covered with Astelia pumila, White grass (Cortadelia pilosa), Diddle Dee (Empetrum rubrum), and white grass-dominated valley mire. Rainfall is low, resulting in only low presence of Sphagnum magellanicum, and (combined with high wind speeds) in high susceptibility to erosion. The main pressures are from grazing by large numbers of sheep, use of prescribed fire for vegetation management, dredging of stream channels to increase drainage, wildfires, effects of historic bomb craters, domestic peat extraction, and the use of turf banks as windbreaks. Peat distribution has been mapped, but peat condition has not been documented.
    [Show full text]
  • D3.1 Palsa Mire
    European Red List of Habitats - Mires Habitat Group D3.1 Palsa mire Summary Palsa mire develops where thick peat is subject to sporadic permafrost in Iceland, northern Fennoscandia and arctic Russia where there is low precipitation and an annual mean temperature below -1oC. The permafrost dynamics produce a typical patterning with palsa mounds 2-4m (sometimes 7m) high elevated in central thicker areas by permafrost lenses, the carpet of Sphagnum peat limiting the penetration of thaw, and a perennially frozen core of peat, silt and ice lenses beneath. Pounikko hummock ridges can be found in marginal areas subject to seasonal freezing and there are plateau-wide palsas and pounu string mires in the arctic. Intact palsa mounds show a patterning of weakly minerotrophic vegetation with different assemblages of mosses, herbs and sub-shrubs on their tops and sides. Old palsa mounds can become dry and erosion may lead to melting and collapse. Complete melting leaves behind thermokarst ponds. Palsa mires have experienced substantial decline and deterioration in recent years and, although these changes are not yet dramatic, all estimations indicate high probability of collapse as a result of climatic warming. Climate change mitigation measures are decisive to prevent the collapse of this habitat type. Synthesis This habitat type is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) under Criterion E as its probability of collapse within the next 50 years is estimated to be over 50% as a result of climate warming. This quantitative analysis has been performed by reviewing and analyzing published research articles, together with unpublished contributions from experts, by including probabilistic modeling of future trends and linear extrapolation of recent trends to support model predictions.
    [Show full text]
  • Blanket Bog Toolkit
    BLANKET Outcomes and BOG improvements LAND MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE CONTENTS Introduction 3 Introduction 3 How to use this pack 4 Blanket bog toolkit This guidance for land managers and conservation advisers has been collaboratively 7 State 2: Bare Peat produced by representatives of the Uplands Management Group (UMG) in response to a 11 State 3: Dwarf shrub dominated blanket bog request from the Uplands Stakeholder Forum (USF) for best practice guidance. 15 State 4: Grass and/or sedge dominated blanket bog 19 State 5: Modified blanket bog It is designed to put into practice the joint voluntary Defra Blanket Bog Restoration Strategy agreed by the Uplands Stakeholder Forum (USF). 23 State 6: Active hummock/hollow/ridge blanket bog This guidance will enable land managers to take steps to improve the vegetation characteristics and hydrological properties of blanket bog, which is defined by a peat depth of over 0.4m, across the uplands of England (see Q1–2). The five agreed outcomes (see Q5) sought by land managers and conservationists via this approach are: = the capture and storage of carbon = improved water quality and flow regulation = high levels of biodiversity = a healthy red grouse population = good quality grazing The UMG provides practitioner input to the USF, chaired by Defra. The Group seeks to produce guidance for practitioners covering a range of upland management activity. For more information go to: www.uplandsmanagement.co.uk HOW TO USE THIS PACK The guidance consists of: = DECISION MAKING TOOLKIT Use it out on the hill to agree the starting condition of the blanket bog and to decide on the best management methods to improve it.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey by Keith Bowman
    Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey With Coefficient of Conservation and Indicator Status Keith Bowman, PhD 10/20/2017 Acknowledgements There are many individuals that have been essential to this project. Dr. Eric Karlin compiled the initial annotated list of New Jersey moss taxa. Second, I would like to recognize the contributions of the many northeastern bryologists that aided in the development of the initial coefficient of conservation values included in this guide including Dr. Richard Andrus, Dr. Barbara Andreas, Dr. Terry O’Brien, Dr. Scott Schuette, and Dr. Sean Robinson. I would also like to acknowledge the valuable photographic contributions from Kathleen S. Walz, Dr. Robert Klips, and Dr. Michael Lüth. Funding for this project was provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, State Wetlands Protection Development Grant, Section 104(B)(3); CFDA No. 66.461, CD97225809. Recommended Citation: Bowman, Keith. 2017. Field Guide to the Moss Genera in New Jersey With Coefficient of Conservation and Indicator Status. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Forest Service, Office of Natural Lands Management, Trenton, NJ, 08625. Submitted to United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, State Wetlands Protection Development Grant, Section 104(B)(3); CFDA No. 66.461, CD97225809. i Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Descriptions
    [Show full text]